Not right now, but when the town gets some money, you may be seeing those signs at that very complicated intersection of Ocean Street, South Street, and Old Colony Road in Hyannis. On Aug. 14, an informational meeting at town hall drew a roomful of interested neighbors with a lot of ideas.

Town Engineer Roger Parsons told the group, “This project is in the conceptual stages. We like to go to the community and get input.”

Because the area is home to senior housing, the Maritime Museum, motels and a hostel, restaurants, boats, and leads the way to the JFK Memorial and beaches, “it’s a very critical area, obviously,” said Parsons.

“We’re trying to improve the corridor,” Parsons said, and explained that the town would like to better the pavement and get it into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, channel storm water in a more environmentally friendly way, and include bicyclists and pedestrians as a lively and valued part of the mix.

And what’s more, “we don’t want to have to dig up the road,” said Parsons of the challenge that lies ahead.

The town is applying for a grant, similar to the one used for the Bearse’s Way improvements, that will help to fix an intersection Parsons called “a thorn in our side.”

As a minimum, Parsons said, he’d like to upgrade signaling equipment that dates back to the 1970s. The town does not propose to take any private land for the project. “What we want to do is to encourage and enlist all the abutters,” said Parsons.

Bill Mertz of Stantec, the same firm that redesigned Bearse’s Way, talked about the Ocean Street area as a “complete street” that serves automobile, pedestrians including those who use wheelchairs, and bicyclists, who would get a lane just for them.

`There would be some green space in a redesign,” said Mertz, as well as wheelchair ramps. He said that the message in the redesign is intended to be, “This is my space to walk.”

Some questioned the need for major changes. “Have we had complaints from pedestrians?” Felicia Penn asked, prompting a round of applause from attendees.

“If it doesn’t itch,” said Jeannette Chilli, “why are you people scratching?”

Parsons emphasized that Wednesday’s meeting, which encouraged audience comment, was for input before a grant application in September. “We don’t want to fix something only to make something else worse,” he said of the way the town would use Massworks money it might get for the project when it applies. “We want to work with all the abutters. We have to apply by the bidding laws. The laws are there to protect us all.”

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.